A muscular girl is presented to the passionate world of crossover anime.

This was the only effect that Hanon's punches and kicks achieved.

After stepping back slightly, Kuroki changed his defensive stance. He contracted his entire body inward, centered on his abdomen, with his arms protecting his head and vital points, while his legs were slightly turned inward. Facing Hanon, he maintained a defensive posture.

"Ugh! So hard!" As Kuroki changed his defensive stance, Kanon, as the attacker, felt a completely different sensation.

The feeling was like hitting a piece of granite; the opponent remained unmoved, while one's own fist was shaken until it was numb and sore.

There is no such thing as an impenetrable defense in combat. But if this continues, it's unlikely that the defense will be broken by lunchtime. Besides, Hanon's fists will also be affected by the recoil. If she gets hit by another hundred or so punches, she'll probably be crippled.

Therefore, Kanon also decided to change her attack method. You know, apart from powerful punches and kicks, the finger razor is Kanon's more powerful killing move!

Kanon didn't inform Kuroki that she was going to change her tactics—the old man is so strong, he'll definitely be able to react!

Blackwood can indeed.

Kanon's sudden slash with the razor was faster than any of her previous attacks; this was actually a clever trick she had planned from the beginning. She had deliberately lowered her attack frequency earlier, so when she unleashed the full power of her finger razor, her speed was two levels faster, guaranteed to have a surprising and effective effect—if her opponent were anyone else.

The moment Hanon changed her move, Kuroki had already anticipated her action. However, he did not choose to block, but instead took a step back, letting the razor slash across his front, leaving a wound on his defensive arm.

Blood gushed out, but it was just a minor cut on the skin. Rather than saying that Kanon's attack had finally taken effect, it would be more accurate to say that Kuroki was actively experiencing the power of Razor.

"A slash, huh..." After the "test" began, Kuroki Gensai spoke for the first time: "It's a move that makes it impossible for someone to defend in place. Your 'weapons' aren't just limited to fists and feet!"

No longer solely on the defensive, Kuroki adopted a new karate stance called "Cat Step Stand," a steady and balanced move that combines offense and defense: "Continue the attack, Kanon."

"Wow, you're really amazing, Uncle!" Hana exclaimed sincerely.

Since the start of their fight, Kanon has shown off her signature heavy punch and razor blade, and even laid an ambush, but the effect on Uncle Kuroki has been very weak. It seems that he is still not satisfied and is waiting for Kanon to combine the razor blade and heavy punch to launch a three-dimensional offensive.

"Alright, let's try again!" Hanon cheered up and attacked Kuroki Gensai once more.

The first update will be released around 4 PM, the second around 4 PM, and the third later, around 9 PM.

Section 53, Chapter 53: The Day of Slapping Faces

Kanon, who launched a renewed attack, alternated between heavy punches and razor strikes, which greatly increased his threat level. Faced with this three-dimensional offensive, even someone as strong as Kuroki could not withstand it head-on. Instead, he switched to a fighting style that focused on blocking. Whenever Kanon threw a punch, his arm would always appear under Kanon's armpit or ribs, deflecting Kanon's power to the side and rendering it useless.

This situation lasted for five or six minutes. Hanon's achievement was only to tear one of Kuroki's clothes and leave one or two minor cuts, and her physical strength had already begun to decline.

Combat sports are not long activities. Sumo matches often last only a few dozen seconds, and boxing is at most twelve rounds and thirty-six minutes, with multiple breaks in between. Wrestling matches are longer, sometimes lasting an hour or even two hours, but those have a certain degree of theatricality.

Hanon's muscle control is very demanding in terms of energy and endurance. In the beginning, she would be completely exhausted after just one or two minutes of practice. Through training at Mr. Shirogane's gym (thanks to Mr. Meat), Hanon greatly improved her physical fitness, but even when she exerted herself to the fullest, her maximum time was only ten minutes.

Hanon's physical strength began to decline, but she did not back down or become anxious. Instead, she maintained her attack frequency, only increasing the proportion of her attacks using the less energy-consuming finger razors.

Kanon tried to hide her exhaustion, but it didn't fool Kuroki. After noticing Kanon's condition, even the discerning Kuroki Gensai gave her a good evaluation: "Remaining calm and composed despite the decline in physical strength is commendable..."

Kuroki's praise was an affirmation, but also the arrogance unique to the strong.

If the fight continued like this, Kanon's stamina would be exhausted in two or three minutes, but Kuroki, who kept taking her heavy punches and razor blades, had no stamina to spare.

The gap between the two was so vast that one couldn't help but exclaim, "Master Kuroki, you really are a monster..."

Having progressed this far, Kuroki had a general understanding of Kanon's physical abilities and attack techniques, but this was not the end of the test.

"Kanon, I'm about to launch my attack, so watch out."

"Okay—Waaaaaah!" Before Kanon could finish a word, Kuroki's fist was already in front of her. Kanon thought she had focused her attention enough, but she didn't expect that all her preparations were useless and that Kuroki's attack was about to hit her so easily.

Startled, Kanon unleashed unprecedented speed, retreating rapidly. In terms of physical abilities, Kanon far surpassed ordinary people and even average fighters; if she focused solely on retreating, even Kuroki couldn't catch up.

"Your speed is excellent. If you didn't practice martial arts, you could easily be a sprint champion." Uncle Kuroki even had a witty remark to it. Though a bit cold, he really is a multi-talented individual…

Despite his pleasant words, Kuroki's attack was no joke. This uncle rarely charged forward, and at the same time, his fingers were like guns, delivering a piercing blow.

Indeed, the fingers were like spears. In Hana's perception, it really felt like a huge spear was thrusting at her from the opposite side, difficult to dodge and difficult to parry.

"Just a simple attack, yet its power is so astonishing..." Her body instinctively screamed for her to retreat, but Hanon's brain thought otherwise. Even though this was just a test, it was still a kind of martial arts competition, wasn't it? What's the point of a competition if you don't strive for victory?

Hanon's expression turned resolute. As Kuroki's piercing hand came at her, she actually stepped forward and swung a Razor Strike with unprecedented speed. Her previous exhaustion was real, but Hanon also faked it. While seemingly calmly concealing her fatigue, Hanon secretly exaggerated her level of fatigue, causing Kuroki, who was making his first encounter with her, to misjudge the situation. Everything was for this one strike.

If Kuroki had remained on the defensive, then Kanon's hidden attack would have been a surprise and decisive blow. Now that Kuroki has taken the initiative, the situation has become a two-way battle. Kanon's attack speed is clearly faster, while Kuroki has already exhausted his moves and can no longer change his tactics.

"Maybe I can turn the tables?" With Razor about to strike Kuroki, Kanon was already anticipating victory. Indeed, no one can escape one of life's three great illusions...

The victory was merely a psychological illusion. As Kanon's razor struck Kuroki and then passed through Kuroki's phantom, even Kanon's eyes experienced an illusion.

This wasn't Kuroki creating a clone; rather, he turned the impossible into possible the instant Kanon attacked, truly changing his tactics.

How could a master easily use up a single move?

"How is this possible!" In her surprise, Hanon didn't have time to think, because Kuroki's heavy punch after changing his move had already come down.

With resounding thuds, Kanon tightened the muscles in her arms, blocking Kuroki's punches one after another: "Fortunately, although Kuroki-sensei's punches are heavy, they're not necessarily much stronger than Aguya's and Haruo's..."

However, today is destined to be Kanon's day of humiliation. Kuroki suddenly changed the angle of his punch. Since he couldn't break through Kanon's defense from the front, he would attack from the side.

Although Kanon reacted quickly, Kuroki's fist changed direction even faster. Just when Kanon thought Kuroki's attack was aimed at her left side, she was hit by a heavy punch to her right ribs. This was a part of her body that she didn't have time to contract her muscles, which naturally caused unimaginable damage.

Kanon was knocked to her knees by the punch, the intense pain almost making her cry. Perhaps the only thing she could be thankful for was that Kuroki hadn't actually hit her face...

However, before Kuroki's attack was over, a heavy punch came straight at Kanon's face.

Using her last bit of strength, Kanon retreated in a disheveled state, barely managing to avoid the pursuit, but her balance was thrown off balance. Kuroki, however, continued his advance, immediately changing his attack to a lunging elbow strike, which Kanon could no longer dodge.

The elbow strike landed on Hanon's lower abdomen, the force of which caused Hanon to cough up a mouthful of blood, which landed directly on Kuroki's eyes, blurring his vision.

"Phew, this is my last chance!" With that resolve, Hanon attacked Kuroki again with both hands, using her finger razor blades. At this moment, she had completely abandoned defense, focusing solely on seizing this slightly lucky opportunity.

The result... was disappointing.

Although Kuroki's vision was blurred, he could clearly sense Kanon's location after the elbow strike landed and grabbed Kanon's shoulder. Kuroki's thumbs, like swords, pierced Kanon's Jianjing acupoints, causing Kanon's arms to immediately lose strength, and the attack to stop.

After restraining Hanon's arms, Kuroki delivered another headbutt, causing Hanon to see stars and fall backward. When she regained consciousness, Kuroki's piercing hand was already in front of her.

Kuroki stopped attacking; if his piercing hand had advanced a few more inches, Hanon would have been killed.

The diagnostic test, filled with frustration and pain, has come to an end.

Section 54, Chapter 54: The Foundations of Martial Arts

The outcome is clear; it was a defeat without any suspense. This is not a matter of hesitation or reluctance, but rather a futile loss despite giving it one's all—a true difference in skill level.

"Sigh, I guess I'm no match for Master Kuroki!" This result wasn't unexpected, but Kanon, who had started to put up some real fights later on, still felt a little disappointed.

Previously, Kanon had been surrounded and attacked by delinquents from Tsurumine Academy, exhausting her strength; she had also practiced with the red-belt grandma at the Mifune family's house, constantly being thrown to the ground; and even when playing around with the punching bag at the Glorious Boxing Gym, she was overshadowed by Sakura Hibiki. But this time, the situation was completely different. Kanon had no intention of playing around or relaxing, nor was she restricted by any rules. Instead, she gave it her all, even using many tricks and gimmicks, yet she was still easily defeated by her opponent. Undoubtedly, there is now an immeasurable gap between Kanon and Kuroki Gensai.

Is this what they call a top master, a powerful figure who has exhausted the true meaning of martial arts...?

Well, having someone like that as my teacher is definitely a good thing! Kanon composed herself and prepared to receive instruction from this senior expert.

On the other side, Gensai Kuroki was also assessing Kanon.

In the previous exchange, Kuroki spent most of the time on the defensive. However, after switching to offense, he landed a punch to the right ribs, an elbow strike to the abdomen, a thrust to the Jianjing acupoints on both shoulders, and a headbutt. His other attacks were quite effective, except for…

"That elbow strike just now, it didn't actually hit you completely, did it?" Kuroki asked.

Hanon nodded: "Yes, I had already lost my balance at that time and it was impossible to completely dodge that elbow strike, so I contracted my abdominal muscles a little to reduce some of the force."

"Hmm, contracting your abdominal muscles, and that 'slash'... It seems you have very precise control over your muscles, which is quite a powerful talent."

Hanon secretly clicked her tongue in amazement. This Uncle Kuroki was too amazing. He had discovered her special talent so easily.

Indeed, that was the case. Kuroki Gensai's knowledge and experience in martial arts were far too rich. Through observation, experience, and a little questioning, he had basically grasped the situation of Kanon:

Her speed, strength, and reaction time surpassed the limitations of a woman's physique, even far exceeding those of male martial artists her age. She remained calm and composed during combat, displayed remarkable quick thinking and precise muscle control, despite having been involved in combat for less than six months…

After silently reviewing Hanon's condition in his mind, even with Kuroki's experience, he couldn't help but feel a little shocked: "I, Kuroki Gensai, have practiced martial arts for decades and have seen countless martial artists who are called geniuses or monsters, but I have never encountered one who has improved so quickly... This is probably what the ancient Chinese saying 'fine material and good quality, unpolished jade and pure gold' means!"

For a fleeting moment, Kuroki Gensai even considered formally taking on a disciple.

However, this thought was fleeting. Like Kirito Takakaze, Kuroki was a man accustomed to freedom. When being alone became a habit, it was difficult for him to allow others to truly enter his life.

Kuroki asked the final question: "How do you perceive your current situation?"

Hanon has been thinking a lot about this question lately in order to find "the path that suits me," so she immediately gave her answer: "I have already laid a solid foundation. I have accumulated a certain level of physical fitness, offensive and defensive skills, and combat knowledge. Next, I should systematically learn a set of martial arts techniques that suit me, and then use them proficiently. Based on this, I will continue to break through and eventually form my own fighting style."

However, this answer did not earn Kuroki's approval. Instead, he shook his head and said, "No, your foundation is still far from solid."

"Huh?" Hanon was a little surprised. She was already able to defeat strong people like Aguya, Haruo, and Oni-Ohyama. How could she say that her foundation was not solid?

Indeed, Kuroki Gensai was such a strict teacher: "If your goal is to become an ordinary martial artist, then your current strength is enough to defeat most people, and whether you continue to hone your skills is no longer important. But if your goal is to become a top-tier martial artist, then you haven't even grasped the basics."

Next, the temporary master and disciple sat cross-legged facing each other in the small dojo, and Kuroki began his first lesson.

Holding up a finger, Kuroki solemnly said, "First, there's the knowledge of physiology."

"Huh?" Hanon, who had been listening attentively, slumped to the side: "Physiology..."

But Kuroki wasn't joking: "We live in a modern society now. No matter how strong an individual is, the best way to take down a target is with a pistol. Some martial artists are strong enough to ignore bullets, but no martial artist can withstand a missile. In the end, martial arts is just the exploration and promotion of human potential. Fighting and defeating enemies are just byproducts. If you want to explore the way of martial arts, you need to understand the structure of the human body. Of course, a wealth of physiological knowledge is necessary."

Kuroki's first point of view was quite surprising to Kanon, but upon closer examination, it became clear that Kuroki was not wrong.

Hanon nodded, indicating that she understood.

Kuroki raised his second finger: "Secondly, it's about accumulating experience. True strength doesn't come from physical strength, physique, or skills; experience is the foundation of strength."

Next is the third finger: "Observation. Martial arts is about observation. It is an important way to accumulate experience and improve skills. Watching a good battle is more effective than a year of hard training. At the same time, training your insight will also improve your ability to see through your opponent's actions in battle."

After those three fingers, Kuroki extended his fourth and fifth fingers: "Theory, experience, and observation—these are the foundation of martial arts, and also what you lack most right now. Beyond these three points lies the strengthening of physical fitness and martial arts skills..." At this point, Kuroki clenched his five outstretched fingers into a fist again: "When these are integrated into one, that will be the moment when martial arts reach its pinnacle."

Kuroki Gensai's teachings truly opened the door to martial arts for Kanon, dispelling most of the doubts that had lingered in her heart, and clarifying many principles that she had only vaguely understood.

Of course, there were also negative impacts...

"Sigh, my physical condition is still okay. I originally thought that I could just improve my skills, but I didn't expect that those are just minor details. Theory, experience and observation are the foundation... But these three things all require time to accumulate! There's no way to improve them in the short term."

Hanon's fighting spirit has waned.

"That's just childish talk." Kuroki didn't scold Kanon for her eagerness, but patiently guided her: "Improving one's martial arts level is not something that can be done overnight. You are Chinese. There are ancient Chinese sayings like 'Reading is always beneficial' and 'If you hear the Way in the morning, you can die content in the evening.' As long as you start training, you will naturally make progress. Why be anxious for nothing?"

These words did indeed ease Hanon's anxiety, and she bowed to Kuroki again: "Thank you, Master Kuroki!"